How a Recruiting Consultant Can Help Before and During College with TennisSmart's Sarah Borwell

Summary

Sarah Borwell, founder of TennisSmart and a former British professional who peaked at #65 in the world in doubles and #1 in Britain, discusses the college recruiting process from the perspective of an international placement specialist. Her company places more British juniors into American college tennis programs than any other service. She describes the structural dynamics of college recruitment, the international player debate, and TennisSmart’s evolution into a full player transition company serving players from college into the professional tour and working world.

Guest Background

Sarah Borwell grew up playing at Tennis World club in Middlesbrough, UK. Coming from a non-wealthy background (both parents were teachers), the club recommended she pursue an American university scholarship — a path she took and which transformed her life. She reached #65 in the world in doubles, played Fed Cup and the Commonwealth Games in India, then pivoted to building TennisSmart. Her husband is also a college tennis coach, giving her unique insight into both sides of the recruiting relationship.

Key Findings

• The 50% dropout rate at 15 was the founding motivation for TennisSmart. Borwell observed on the pro tour that European juniors (especially British) had no pathway other than the pro tour or quitting entirely — and consequently, 50% were leaving the sport by age 15. The American college system was the obvious structural solution that wasn’t being systematically accessed.
• There are always college roster spots available — even late in the cycle. Despite the narrative that spots are scarce, Borwell describes coaches being desperate to fill rosters even in June and July. The problem is not scarcity but matching — players and coaches not finding each other efficiently. Her business is built on that market friction.
• The international player debate misunderstands the structure. American families who argue that international players are taking all the spots are partly right about elite programs but wrong about the broader landscape. Mid-major and geographically “unfashionable” programs (e.g., Iowa) regularly have spots that American players would thrive in but won’t pursue because of brand fixation.
• TennisSmart evolved from placement to full lifecycle transition. The company now supports: pre-college placement and preparation, in-college support, post-college pro tour transition, and post-tennis career placement in journalism, marketing management, and other fields. The full lifecycle model reflects Borwell’s lived experience of each stage.
• Inside knowledge of both sides of the recruiting table. Being married to a college coach gives Borwell visibility into how coaches actually evaluate recruiting inquiries, what they’re looking for that isn’t in the player profile, and where families make avoidable errors.

Actionable Advice for Families

1. Don’t limit your college search to brand-name programs. A mid-major program in a less glamorous location may produce better tennis development, better academic experience, and a stronger lifelong network than a highly ranked program where you’d be buried in the lineup.
2. Start the recruiting process early — preferably 8th or 9th grade for elite players — but don’t panic if you haven’t. Spots are available later than most families realize.
3. Coaches want direct, professional communication. Brief introduction email, current ranking, highlight video, and genuine interest signal. No essays, no long backstories.
4. Think about what comes after tennis before you arrive at college. Use the four years intentionally to build toward something beyond competition.

INTENNSE Relevance

• TennisSmart’s international player placement network is a direct connection to INTENNSE’s player recruitment. British and other European players who come to America for college tennis and stay to compete professionally are exactly the profile INTENNSE seeks. Borwell’s network is a potential referral source.
• “Full lifecycle transition” model is what INTENNSE should aspire to provide: not just a competitive platform but a career development vehicle that supports players from their competitive peak through transition to post-tennis professional life.
• The “always roster spots available” insight applies to INTENNSE’s recruitment: there are always players who are between competitive homes, not finding the right fit, or underserved by the current options. INTENNSE’s market intelligence should be looking in these gaps.
• Husband-coach perspective on what coaches look for in recruits maps to what INTENNSE looks for in players: genuine team orientation, adaptability to new environments, professional communication style. The evaluation criteria are remarkably consistent.

Notable Quotes

“There’s always room. There’s always someone looking late in the day. I’ve never had a problem placing my players. The problem isn’t that the spots don’t exist — it’s that players aren’t looking in the right places.”

“When I was on tour, I saw players dropping out at 15 because they had no other option. Either you make the pro tour or bust. I thought: that’s wrong, and I can help fix it. So I did.”